Loft beds elevate your bed up off the floor, allowing you to place a desk or a second bed beneath it, saving space. These beds can be challenging to build on your own; using a loft bed kit can help make the process easier.
What Comes In a Loft Bed Kit
There is no one standard for a loft bed kit; depending on the manufacturer you purchase it from, you may find one of the following:
- Hardware only
- Hardware and plans
- Hardware, plans and the lumber or wood
The vast majority of these kits assume that you will be supplying, measuring and cutting your own wood to fit; they supply only the specialty hardware pieces you may have a hard time finding on their own in a hardware store.
Purchase a Kit
There are several kits available for purchase that can help you construct your bed in a weekend or two.
College Bed Lofts
College Bed Lofts sells several different hardware kits for various sizes of loft beds. All of the kits include plans you can use to build the bed from lumber you provide. The company also sells a "leg kit" which consists of the plans, hardware and the notched legs necessary to loft the bed, eliminating one of the more challenging aspects of building a bed from scratch. The company offers free shipping on all their kits.
OP Loftbed
OP Loftbed provides hardware and bolt kits for loft and bunk beds. The company also provides plans for loft beds to be used with the kits; the plans are sold separately. There are kits available for both medium and tall loft beds, as well as a kit for desk assembly, if you plan on building a desk directly beneath the bed.
Bunk Beds Unlimited
Bunk Beds Unlimited sells plans and hardware kits for five different loft bed configurations, as well as plans and kits for bunk and trundle beds. All hardware is furniture quality, and all plans and hardware ship for free. Included in the plans is a wood list to help you get exactly what you need to put the beds together.
South Shore
South Shore makes a complete loft bed kit that includes all the pieces you will need to put together the bed, including the headboard, footboard, panels and ladder, as well as the hardware and plans. The bed comes in white and cherry, and the finished bed height is roughly level with an adult's chest, making it an ideal loft bed for a younger children. The bed is made of particle board, and it is recommended that two adults work together to put the kit together.
NationalFurnishing.com
NationalFurnishing.com sells a ready-to-put-together loft bed kit that includes everything you need, including the lumber, hardware and plans. The kits are available in Twin, Full And Queen Widths; Regular, Extra Long (typical college size) and Dorm XXL Length, as well as two leg heights - 69- and 83-inches. The lumber is unfinished solid spruce pine, and the finished frame has a weight capacity of 1000 pounds.
Pros and Cons of Using a Kit
Deciding whether or not to use a kit to build your loft bed is a personal choice based primarily on your comfort and skill level in building the bed. Weigh the following pros and cons before you purchase to make sure you get exactly what you need.
Pros
- Purchasing a kit that includes the hardware and plans together ensures that you get the exact hardware pieces specified, all at the correct size.
- Using a hardware kit means you don't have to scour a hardware store for all the various pieces.
- Using a kit that includes legs or lumber as well as the hardware cuts down on the amount of carpentry you need to perform.
Cons
- Using a kit ties you in to specific sizes and measurements, which may get in the way of changing the design to fit a specific space.
- Kits are often limited to pieces for specific plans; you will more than likely have to purchase plans as well. Using free plans may mean you need to get your own hardware to match.
- Using a kit with pre-made pieces may cut down on the quality you could get from having it built from scratch.
Build the Bed of Your Dreams
For many people, the use of a kit can mean the difference between successfully completing a project and never getting it started. If you're planning on building a loft bed, look into the various kits available and see what use they may be to you.
